Bibliographies
1. Searches of Periodicals (Magazine Articles)
Following are some online databases useful for searching theses/dissertations and magazine articles regarding art.
Art Index Retrospective: 1929–1984 (Organizational registration required)
Index which covers fine arts, decorative arts, commercial arts, etc. for the period 1929 to 1984. Can be searched for interviews and book reviews as well as for books and magazine articles
N.B.: You can access this online tool in the reading rooms of any of the national museum libraries. Regarding how to use the libraries please refer to “Research Center Directory” of each national museum library.
Art & Architecture Source (Organizational registration required)
Index covering a broad range of topics including fine arts, decorative arts, commercial art, and architecture. Includes access to more than 600 journals and magazines, 220 books in full, and 630,000 images.
N.B.: You can access this online tool in the reading rooms of any of the national museum libraries. Regarding how to use the libraries please refer to “Research Center Directory” of each national museum library.
BHA and RILA
Abstracts and index regarding the field of fine art. More than 1200 magazines published between 1975 and 2007 can be searched. RILA (Répertoire international de la littérature de l’art) covers the period 1975 to 1989. BHA (Bibliography of the History of Art) covers the period 1990-2007.
International Bibliography of Art (IBA) (Organizational registration required)
Abstracts and index regarding the field of fine arts, dating from 2008 onwards. Successor to BHA (see above).
N.B.: You can access this online tool in the reading rooms of any of the national museum libraries. Regarding how to use the libraries please refer to “Research Center Directory” of each national museum library.
ARTbibliographies Modern (ABM) (Organizational registration required)
Abstracts and index specializing in modern art. Focuses on art magazine articles published from 1960 onwards, covering a broad range of art fields including fine art, digital art, crafts, design, photography, etc.
N.B.: You can access this online tool in the reading rooms of any of the national museum libraries. Regarding how to use the libraries please refer to “Research Center Directory” of each national museum library.
Design & Applied Arts Index (DAAI) (Organizational registration required)
Index specializing in design and crafts. Covers the period from 1973 onwards.
N.B.: You can access this online tool in the reading rooms of any of the national museum libraries. Regarding how to use the libraries please refer to “Research Center Directory” of each national museum library.
Avery Index to Architectural Periodicals (Organizational registration required)
Index specializing in architecture. Covers the period from 1934 onwards.
N.B.: You can access this online tool in the reading rooms of any of the national museum libraries. Regarding how to use the libraries please refer to “Research Center Directory” of each national museum library.
Arts & Humanities Database (Organizational registration required)
Covers areas such as art, architecture, design, history, philosophy, music, literature, theatre, and cultural studies. Complements other indexing journals such as ABM, Avery Index, BHA, DAAI, etc.
Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties.References on Cultural Properties.
In addition to the art bibliography included in the Nihon Bijutsu Nenkan (Japanese Art Yearbook), first published in 1936 by the Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, this article database includes other bibliographic information and retrospective records. The electronic version of the Nihon Bijutsu Nenkan book itself is available through the following institutional repositories.
Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties - Publications
Kōseisha. Zasshi Kiji Sakuin Shūsei Dētabēsu (Zassaku Purasu) (The Complete Database for Japanese Magazines and Periodicals from Meiji Era to the Present (Zassaku Plus). (Institutional membership required)
A citation database of approximately 30,000,000 periodical articles, based on Meiji, Taishō, Shōwa Zenki Zasshi Kiji Sakuin Shūsei [Index to Magazine and Periodical Articles from the Meiji, Taishō, and Early Shōwa Periods] (Kōseisha, 120 volumes). One can search exhibition reviews using keyword for exhibition title using “Kan’i kensaku gamen [Simple search page]”. Also integrates with National Diet Library’s periodical article index (Zasshi Kiji Sakuin [Periodical Article Index]) and digital collection, CiNii Research, and 20-seiki Media Jōhō Dētabēsu [the 20th Century Media Information Database] (Prange Collection), etc. Strong coverage in publications from the pre-World War II period.
N.B.: You can access this online tool in the reading rooms of any of the national museum libraries. Regarding how to use the libraries please refer to “Research Center Directory” of each national museum library.
National Diet Library. NDL Search.
This database provides access to the 'Magazine Article Index' for articles published since 1948 (Showa 23). To use this feature, please mark the 'Magazine Articles, etc.' checkbox under 'Material Type' and then perform the search.
National Diet Library. National Diet Library Digital Collections.
Table of contents of magazine articles digitalized by the National Diet Library, can be searched. Go to ”Advanced Search” page, select ”Periodicals” from the Type of Collection menu, and insert the title or the author name, to conduct a search.
National Institute of Informatics (Nii). CiNii Research.
This site allows for comprehensive search of article information from institutional repositories, research project details, as well as papers, books, and magazine articles. Some entries include links to the full text.
2. Bibliographies of Artists
Nakajima Masatoshi, ed. Bijutsuka shoshi no shoshi: Sesshū kara Tabaimo, van Eiku (van Eyck) kara I Buru (Lee Bul) made (Japanese Sources on Visual Artists: A Bibliography of Bibliography: From Sesshu to Tabaimo, Van Eyck to Lee Bul). Tokyo: Bensei Shuppan, 2007.
Reference bibliographies of approximately 2600 individuals in the field of art.
National Center for Art Research. Dictionary of Artists in Japan (DAJ).
Resource listing individual artists and art organizations which have contributed to the development of culture and art in Japan since the Meiji era. Some entries include selected bibliography. In Japanese and English.
3. Full Text
Full texts of art reference materials can be obtained from the following sites.
Getty Research Institute. Getty Research Portal.
Comprehensive searchable resource for digitalized full texts of art related reference materials.
JSTOR
Archive of academic journals. Except for volumes within the publication embargo period, all volumes can be used dating back to first issues.
Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST). J-STAGE.
Japan’s online journal platform. Includes records of more than 4000 magazines, searchable in Japanese and English.
National Diet Library. National Diet Library Digital Collections.
Searchable digitalized research materials in the collection of the National Diet Library.
National Diet Library. Next Digital Library.
Subset of above listing. Searchable full texts of digitalized books and manuscripts owned by the National Diet Library, having expired copyright period (approximately 350,000 items altogether).
National Center for Art Research. Reading Lists.
Mainly materials written in Japanese regarding postwar Japanese art, which have been translated into English. Full text, and searchable.
4. Collections of magazine tables of contents and materials.
Kobayashi Tadashi, ed. Bijutsu kankei zasshi mokuji sōran, 5 vols. Tokyo: Kokusho Kankōkai, 2000.
Table of Contents for articles in 53 major art magazines published from the Meiji Era through prewar Showa era, listed in Japanese alphabetical order and by volume number. A supplementary volume contains an index of personal names. The included magazines are as follows:
Atorie (Atelier)『アトリエ』
Bi no Kuni『美之国』
Bijutsu Hyōron『美術評論』
Bijutsu Kenkyū『美術研究』
Bijutsu no Nihon『美術之日本』
Bijutsu Shashin Gahō『美術写真画報』
Bijutsu Shigaku『美術史学』
Bijutsu Shinpō『美術新報』
Bijutsu Shinron『美術新論』
Bijutsu『美術』
Bijutsuen『美術園』
Chūō Bijutsu『中央美術』
Dai Nihon Bijutsu Shinpō『大日本美術新報』
Etchingu (Etching)『エッチング』
Fūzoku Gahō『風俗画報』
Garon『画論』
Gasetsu『画説』
Gayū Sekichin『臥遊席珍』
Gendai no Yōga『現代の洋画』
Han Geijutsu『版芸術』
Hanga Club『版画CLUB』
Hanga『版画』
Heitan『平旦』
Hōsun『方寸』
Kaiga Sōshi『絵画叢誌』
Kaze『風』
Kensei Bijutsu『研精美術』
Kensei Gashi『研精画誌』
Kōfū『光風』
Kōgei『工芸』
Kokuga『国画』
Kyōto Bijtsu『京都美術』
Kyōto Bijutsu Kyōkai Zasshi『京都美術協会雑誌』
Maroni’e (Marronnier)『マロニエ』
Mavo『マヴォ』
Meiji Bijutsukan Hōkoku『明治美術会報告』
Meiji Bunka Kenkyū『明治文化研究』
Meiji Bunka『明治文化』
Minato『港』
Mizue『みづゑ』
Nihon Bijutsu Kyōkai Hōkoku『日本美術協会報告』
Nihon Bijutsu『日本美術』
Nihon Hanga『日本版画』
Ryūchikai Hōkoku『龍池会報告』
Seikatsu Bijutsu『生活美術』
Seisaku『制作』
Serekuto (Select)『セレクト』
Shi to Hanga『詩と版画』
Shin Bijutsu『新美術』
Shin Hanga『新版画』
Shin-Kyū Jidai『新旧時代』
Shirakaba『白樺』
Shiro to Kuro『白と黒』
Tōei『塔影』
Tōyō Kaiga Sōshi『東洋絵画叢誌』
Tsukubae『月映』
Zōkei Geijutsu『造形芸術』
Kaji Sachiko. Sōsaku hangashi no keifu: Sōmokuji oyobi sakuhin zuhan: 1905–1944-nen. Tokyo: Chūō Kōron Bijutsu Shuppan, 2008.
Collection of materials regarding the “Sosaku Hanga” movement, covering 1905 to 1944. Includes 111 titles of “Sosaku Hanga” magazines (912 volumes in total) about prints and printmaking, as well as self-published coterie magazines (what we would call fanzines today). Each entry includes tables of contents and reproductions of artworks.
Omuka Toshiharu, Kikuya Yoshio, Takizawa Kyōji, Nagato Saki, Mizusawa Tsutomu, and Nozaki Tamiko. Taishōki shinkō bijutsu shiryō shūsei. Tokyo: Kokusho Kankōkai, 2006.
Collection of art works, reference materials, exhibition catalogue materials, etc. regarding avant-garde art movements in Japan, between 1920 and 1928.
Nishino Yoshiaki. Zen’eishi: Miraiha, dada, kōsei shugi, Nihon hen (History of Avant-Garde Movements: Futurism, Dada and Constructivism in Japan), 2 vols. Tokyo: University of Tokyo Press, 2019.
Magazines and ephemera illustrations related to early 20th century art movements such as Futurists, Dada, Constructivists, etc., with lists of related materials (reference sources), abstracts, and indexes.
5. Library Catalogues
List of information sources helpful when searching libraries for art related books, magazines, exhibition catalogues, etc.
The Art Library Consortium (Bijutsu Toshokan Renrakukai). Bijutsu Toshokan Ōdan Kensaku [Art Library Cross-Search] (ALC Search).
A database that allows cross-searching of the holdings of art-specialized libraries that are members of the Art Library Consortium (ALC). For some libraries, it is also possible to search magazine articles included in their collections. The participating institutions are: The Museum of Modern Art, Kamakura and Hayama (Kanagawa Kenritsu Kindai Bijutsukan), National Crafts Museum (Kokuritsu Kōgeikan), The National Museum of Art, Osaka (Kokuritsu Kokusai Bijutsukan), The National Art Center Tokyo (Kokuritsu Shin Bijutsukan), The National Museum of Western Art (Kokuritsu Seiyō Bijutsukan), National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo (Tōkyō Kokuritsu Kindai Bijutsukan), Tokyo National Museum (Tōkyō Kokuritsu Hakubutsukan), Edo-Tokyo Museum (Tōkyō-to Edo Tōkyō Hakubutsukan), Museum of Contemporary Art Tokyo (Tōkyō-to Gendai Bijutsukan), Tokyo Photographic Art Museum (Tōkyō-to Shashin Bijutsukan), Tokyo Metropolitan Art Museum (Tōkyō-to Bijutsukan), Yokohama Museum of Art (Yokohama Bijutsukan), Yoshino Gypsum Art Foundation (Yoshino Sekkō Bijutsu Shinkō Zaidan).
National Museums of Art. National Museum of Art Collections Search (betaversion).
Database providing various sources of information regarding national art museums in Japan. Bulk searches can be conducted, as well as searches of library collections owned by any specified individual national art museum.
Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties. Library Collection Database Search.
Books and other reference materials in the collection of Tokyo National Research Institute for Cultural Properties, can be searched.
Art Discovery Group Catalogue
Bulk searches can be conducted using the WorldCat database, which includes the collections of art libraries around the globe, as well as online journals, magazine articles in periodical databases, institutional repositories (IR), etc.